1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a hand held device for exerting force and in particular to a compression device to be used by a radiologist during fluoroscopic examinations to flatten portions of the abdomen and to displace one bowel loop away from another so that tumors and other abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract can be visualized.
2. Background Art
Compression of the abdomen during fluoroscopic examinations of the stomach and colon is a required manuever in most examinations. Compression of the abdomen allows the radiologist to displace loops overlying the region of interest, to press on areas of interest to accentuate the contrast between a lesion and the barium used for the examination, and to improve visualization by compressing and decreasing the amount of tissue through which the x-ray passes. Compression can be accomplished by a compression cone rigidly affixed to an x-ray machine, by using only the lead gloved hand directly, or by a hand held device. Palpation and compression by the gloved hand alone is discouraged by most radiologists because the lead stops many but not all x-rays in the primary beam in the area being fluoroscoped. The lead glove will stop all of the scatter radiation produced near the primary beam of x-ray. For this reason, manual compression devices are favored when compression is used.
Many manual devices have been used to permit better control and sensitivity of compression. Devices range from wooden kitchen spoons to commercial wood, plastic, and rubber balloon devices. All manual compression devices require use of a lead glove to protect the hand from direct and scattered radiation. Currently the devices which are available are cumbersome to grasp with a lead glove. All cause muscle fatigue of the hand because the fingers and thumb of the hand are required to grasp them. Compressive pressures exerted by the hand, wrist, and forearm tend to counteract and increase the grasping work being done by the fingers with all other devices.